


The World Within

by IoleveBoslon



Category: Star Wars - All Media Types, Star Wars Sequel Trilogy, Star Wars: Rebels
Genre: Alternate Ending, Alternate Universe - Star Wars Setting, Ben Solo - Freeform, Epilogue, F/M, Force Bond, Force Bond (Star Wars), Post-Canon, Post-Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker, Rey - Freeform, Rey and Kylo, Reylo - Freeform, Spoilers for episode IX in summary and throughout, Star Wars - Freeform, rey and ben solo
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-01-03
Updated: 2020-01-18
Packaged: 2021-02-27 11:15:21
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Major Character Death
Chapters: 3
Words: 6,449
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/22106167
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/IoleveBoslon/pseuds/IoleveBoslon
Summary: *MAJOR SPOILERS FOR THE RISE OF SKYWALKER - READ AT YOUR OWN DISCRETION*She hadn’t seen his presence next to his mother and uncle. And something, inside her, knew that he wasn’t in the realm where her former masters resided. Yet, she also didn’t feel him in the realm where she walked either. No. Ben was somewhere else. Somewhere in between.
Relationships: Kylo Ren/Rey, Poe Dameron/Finn/Rey, Rey & Ben Solo | Kylo Ren, Rey/Ben Solo, Rey/Ben Solo | Kylo Ren
Comments: 15
Kudos: 34





	1. Chapter 1

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> PLEASE READ
> 
> Hey guys! I'm back with another fanfic/alternate ending for The Rise of Skywalker! Except this time, it's gonna be longer than 1 chapter haha. You guys, I'm STILL not over the ending for TROS, especially because lots of things are pointing to the fact that in the ORIGINAL ending, Ben Solo lived and got his happy ending too. But Disney and JJ scrapped that last minute and did our beautiful character Ben Solo dirty. It's very likely we won't get an alternate ending released, so here I am once again, writing to cope with my feelings haha. Don't get me wrong, I still LOVE TROS. It's an amazing movie (up until the reylo kiss). Then everything after that is a jumbled, sloppily edited mess imo.  
> I've also made a Reylo playlist on Spotify to cope haha. I'll share the link below and also have a list of descriptions as to why I included these songs! Make sure to read my note below! And as always, thanks for reading!

Rey was in a dark place. 

In a sea of shadows, she floated weightlessly upwards. She was awake, and yet … she wasn’t. As her hand came up in front of her face, she wiggled her fingers while inspecting them closely. She could move and she could feel, and yet, something wasn’t right. 

_Rey_. 

Her head snapped towards the ethereal voice that whispered her name. She squinted hard, but couldn’t make anything out other than inky dark shadows. And then, all of a sudden, two lights on either side of her erupted into existence. One on her right side, the other pulsing on her left. On her right, the light was brighter, buzzing with prominence. On the left, it had a tinge of red, calling out to her, almost _pleading_. 

She looked back to the light on her right and took a step towards it. As if a tether had been attached to her, something prompted her to turn back towards the light on her left. She looked into that light, could almost hear it pleading with her, begging her to choose it, begging her to come back . . . And the more Rey stared into that light, the more she forgot about the other, the more she wanted to choose this one, to wrap herself in it completely. 

With absolute purpose, she stepped towards it. And suddenly, she was in a body that hurt and ached, but also one that _breathed_. Someone held her with strong arms and she looked up into deep, chocolate eyes--into a face that melted and broke when he saw that she was alive. A few moments beat by, for they couldn’t help but gaze into the visage of one another.

Finally, Rey broke the silence. “ _Ben,_ ” she whispered, her face breaking out in a smile. 

He inhaled shakily as her hand slowly came up and brushed his face, as if she couldn’t believe she was finally looking into the eyes of _Ben Solo_ , the man she’d been waiting for all this time. He’d come back for her, to save her from having to go through that final ritual -- from becoming the emperor herself. He’d come for her and from the look in his eyes, something told her that he’d always come for her. 

It was that heartbreaking thought that pushed Rey forward, meeting his lips with hers. She had never kissed _anyone_ , but for some reason it felt so _natural_ to kiss this man. As natural as it seemed to be for Ben as well, who instantly melted into her kiss, his hand coming up to caress the back of her neck. 

_Rey_ , Ben’s voice is an awed whisper that echoes down the bond. 

When she pulled away and smiled at him, her heart flew up into her throat when she saw his face break out into his own smile -- a smile she had never seen in all this time. And something told her it had been _years_ since he’d smiled like that. But as quickly as it appeared, it starts to fade away. And Rey feels it in the force -- something wrong. 

Her hand immediately shot behind his back as he started to fall, his eyes falling shut. And for a moment, all she could do was just stare at him, like the sight of him lying there lifeless beneath her did not register. When she finally found it in her to take a deep breath, she found that she couldn’t feel it. She couldn’t feel _him_. 

For his own chest … was not moving. 

A sob tore itself from Rey’s chest as she was forced to watch as he faded away and disappeared within her very fingers. The hand she grasped vanished and she was suddenly _alone_. 

Ben was gone. 

***

Rey flew back to the resistance base, struggling, yet failing to act as if everything was okay. Moments before, she had cried and clutched at the empty space he had just been in. _Ben, no… be with me...Ben._

Now, she shook her head, her heart breaking at the words that had gone unanswered. He was gone.

As she stepped off her x-wing onto the resistance base, she pasted on a smile as the rebels patted her on the back, cheering for her, commending her for -- _for what_. For helping them win? For defeating the emperor? Yet, all that would not have been possible if it weren’t for Ben who came back for her. Who walked straight into _hell_ itself to save her. 

In the distance, she spotted Finn and Poe running over to her and she couldn’t help but break into tears as they embraced. Tears of relief as she saw that they were _alive_. And tears of sorrow as she couldn’t help but know that they all stood here right now, because of _him_. And he of all people, the son of the general, a _prince_ himself, should have been here too, celebrating in victory, getting all the praise. 

***

Finn handed Rey a cup of tea before sitting across from her. His eyes are concerned, as if he somehow _knows_ the turmoil rolling within her. 

He didn’t say anything. And that was something she had come to love about their friendship. He knew when to speak and when not to. In this case, he was gently and silently giving her the time she needed to find the words. 

“I died.” Her voice was barely a whisper. 

Finn nodded, tears filling his eyes, because he _did_ know. He had felt it. 

“He _saved_ me.” Rey’s voice breaks. “Ben saved us _all_ , Finn.” 

Finn took a deep breath, looking at his hands, as though he was not exactly sure what to say. I mean, he didn’t _know_ this man as _Ben._ He knew him as _Ren_ , the ruthless, power-hungry Supreme Leader who had called him a _traitor_ before giving him a nasty blow to his back with his saber. 

But, looking at Rey, he knew something had happened. He’d known for a while, actually, that they had shared some kind of bond, some kind of deeper relationship that lay beneath all the duels and hateful words. That behind calling him a _monster_ was Rey’s endeavor to see him as nothing but such. _See him as a monster, as only a monster. Don’t see the lost, tormented eyes that exude pain and loneliness. Don’t see that he’s just like you, only on the opposite side of the war._

Finn knew these were the thoughts that had tormented her for over a year. And thinking of Ren--of _Ben_ \--Finn could only see that perhaps Ben was _also_ a victim of The First Order. That he had also been lured away from his home, from his family, trained and primed to do one thing -- extinguish the rebellion and make way for the emperor’s sith army. Ben had been lied to, been manipulated and poisoned by the emperor’s tactics. 

Inhaling a heaving breath, Finn looked up at Rey. “I’m sorry, Rey. I know...I know you shared a sort of...” 

Rey raised her eyes as he trailed off. “Yeah,” she murmured. “He saved my life, Finn. Brought me _back._ And all I can think is that it wasn’t supposed to be this way. He was supposed to _live_.” 

Finn sighed. “But then what, Rey? Where would he go? The First Order was demolished. The emperor is no more--”

“But the Resistance--”

“Bring him _here_? Come on, Rey. You know what would happen to him.” 

She frowned, giving a slight shake of her head. “What would happen?”

“He’d be arrested. Detained. Put on trial. And then executed.”

They both looked up as Poe walked into the room, BB-8 trailing behind him. 

Poe shrugged at her outraged expression. “Just saying it like it is, Rey. He’s a criminal.”

“He’s the _son_ of our late general. And it’s not like our records are clean. _Spice-runner._ ” She looked over at Finn. “ _Stormtrooper_.”

“But that’s different, Rey. We haven’t _killed_ innocent people. Hundreds, maybe thousands of them. We haven’t killed our own _father_ in _cold-blood_ \--” 

“On _our_ side of the war, we _have_ killed. First Order members. Stormtroopers who had been stolen as kids. _Hundreds, maybe thousands_ _of them_.” She spat his own words back at him. He lifted his eyes heavenward, as if exasperated. “He was manipulated and _tricked_ \--” 

“Oh, _please!_ ” Poe scoffed. “He still had a will of his own--”

Rey stood up in a rush, pointing her finger at Poe. 

Finn stood too, getting ready to serve his role as mediator. “Guys, come on--” 

Rey cut him off. “ _You_ have _no idea_ what it’s like. _No idea._ That darkness that sinks its claws deep in the back of your mind. Makes you lose sight of _who you are_. Makes you truly believe you’re _nothing_ , that you’re all alone. He was just a _little boy_ , Poe, when the emperor sunk his claws in him. A little _boy_. A _child_.”

Poe looked at Rey for a long while, before he closed his eyes, sighing. “I’m sorry. I’m just telling you the truth. Even if he _had_ lived, he couldn’t have come here. He was a lost cause.” 

Rey shook her head and gathered her saber, latching it onto her belt. “The Resistance is full of _lost causes_ , Poe. But we were all given a cause when we came here. I thought that’s what the Resistance was known for.” She met his gaze with sharp, clear eyes. “To give _hope_.”

With that, she walked out.

***

Rey gazed at the binary sunset before her on Tatooine. BB-8 trilled beside her and she couldn’t help but feel as though something was missing. Something wasn’t right. 

Having buried her former masters’ sabers deep in the sand, she brushed her hands off, grains of sand tumbling down. As she looked off and saw figures standing in the distance, Rey battled the dual feelings of yearning to see his face once again, and also steeling herself against the revelation that he was truly gone. For if she were to see him next to his mother and uncle, she knew that there was no way to bring him back, that he was gone for good. 

But as she looked fully towards the figures standing off in the distance, at Luke and Leia smiling at her, her stomach dropped. He wasn’t beside them. Tears flooded her eyes before she could stop them and she tore her eyes away from her former masters to fixate them on the blinding light of the binary sunset.

“Ben,” she whispered, a sob softly escaping her throat. “Be with me.”

And then, like a whisper on the wind, barely even detectable, so faint she could hardly hear it… 

_I’m here._

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So there's chapter 1! I'm excited to write this fanfic series. It's all been planned out in my head so stay tuned for more! 
> 
> As promised, here's the link for the Reylo playlist I created on Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/playlist/3b8YCFo10rwc9obmYbPvta  
> I created this playlist right after seeing TROS and have been adding to it since. The only thing I ask in return is that you leave a comment here telling me which song(s) resonated with you most when it comes to reylo! I love getting comments from y'all, so please leave some! :) 
> 
> If you don't want to listen to all 40+ songs, I’ve included a list of my personal favorites from the playlist below and why I think they have major reylo vibes:  
> My favorites: 
> 
> 1) Talking to the Moon by Bruno Mars - “I sit by myself, talking to the moon, trying to get to you. In hopes you’re on the other side, talking to me too, or am I a fool, who sits alone, talking to the moon.” Honestly, this is the song that kept going through my head as I was writing this fanfic of Rey searching for Ben in the World Between Worlds. I hear it from Rey’s perspective. 
> 
> 2) When the Darkness Comes by Colbie Caillat. “I’ll be here waiting, hoping, praying that this light will guide you home.” Heard from Rey’s pov. SO many reylo vibes. I cried while listening to this one. 
> 
> 3) Small World by Idina Menzel - “I’m going up to a place where the world is small, where I can fly above it all. From here I’m weightless, no stars are famous, and the world is small.” This song makes me tear up too. The way I read it is, Rey -- to cope with the profound loss she feels with Ben gone -- mentally and emotionally escapes, flying the falcon high into space, away from anyone or anything. So she can be alone in her mourning for Ben. Heartbreaking, I know.
> 
> 4) Where Do I Begin and A Time For Us by Andy Williams - "How long does it last, can love be measured by the hours of a day, I know I'll need her till the stars all burn away. And she'll be there." "A time for us, someday they'll be, a new world, a world of shining hope for you and me." Okay, I’m only in my 20s, but I’m an old soul when it comes to classics from Andy Williams. I realize many of you might not know him or like songs like this, but I included them because they both are songs about tragic love stories. Give them a listen. :’)
> 
> 5) Please Don’t Leave Quite Yet by Adam Agin. It’s all in the title and it’s as sad as it sounds :( I picture it from Rey’s pov. 
> 
> 6) Hold On by Chord Overstreet. “Loving and fighting, Accusing, denying, I can't imagine a world with you gone, The joy and the chaos, the demons we're made of, I'd be so lost if you left me alone. Hold on, I still want you. Hold on, I still need you. Let me take your hand, I’ll make it right. I swear to love you all my life. Hold on, I still need you.” These lyrics alone scream reylo. I hear it from Rey’s pov.
> 
> 7) The Call by Regina Spektor. “You’ll come back, when I call you. No need to say goodbye.” This song breaks my heart. Again, I hear it from Rey’s pov.
> 
> 8) You’re Gonna Be Ok by Jenn Johnson and Brian Johnson - “Just follow the light in the darkness, you’re gonna be ok.” Hear it being sung to Rey, in the aftermath of Ben fading away :(
> 
> 9) Never Enough by Loren Allred. Yes, the one from Greatest Showman. :( I always thought it had reylo vibes and still to this day, I feel the same. Again, I hear it from Rey’s pov.
> 
> 10) Wings by Birdy - Beautiful, heartbreaking lyrics. “Damn these walls,” makes me think about Rey being separated from Ben by space and time. 
> 
> 11) Saturn by Sleeping At Last - Beautiful, sad instrumental that makes me think of space travel. Make sure to listen to the lyrics too: “you taught me the courage of stars, before you left. How life carries on endlessly, even after death.” Heard from Rey’s pov to Ben
> 
> 12) Already Gone by Sleeping At Last - “You know that I love you so. I love you enough to let you go.” Their cover of Kelly Clarkson’s song (better than the original imo). Honestly made me cry hearing it from Ben’s perspective to Rey :( 
> 
> 13) What If I Never Get Over You by Lady Antebellum - Heard from Rey’s pov. “What if I'm tryin', but then I close my eyes, And then I'm right back, lost in that last goodbye? And what if time doesn't do what it's supposed to do? What if I never get over you?” 
> 
> 14) Stars by Grace Potter - THIS SONG. Literally sounds like it’s being sung by Rey. Heartbreaking and beautiful. “I can’t look at the stars, they make me wonder where you are.”
> 
> 15) Wait by M83 - Just listening to this song makes me feel like I’m flying through space, idk why. “There’s no end, there is no goodbye.” 
> 
> Hope you enjoy this playlist! Comment below which songs you loved the most after giving this playlist a listen!  
> And you're more than welcome to leave a kudo if you feel led ;)  
> As always, thanks for reading and stay tuned for the next chapter!


	2. Chapter 2

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hey everyone! Back with chapter 2! I was planning on posting this next week, but I couldn't wait haha. So, hope you enjoy the early update!  
> Let me know in the comments what you think about this chapter/story so far!

_I’m here._

Rey stumbled back onto the sand, her back hitting the ground with a dull thud. Scrambling up on her elbows, she exhaled shakily. “ _Ben_?” A few moments beat by, but no response came. 

That voice, so faint, just a whisper -- it could have been a part of her imagination, right? Surely, her own conscience, her desire and yearning for him to be here were making her hear things. Yet, as she looked beyond the horizon, at the two suns sinking further below it, she somehow knew it _wasn’t_ all in her head. Rey hadn’t seen his presence next to his mother and uncle… was it possible?

“ _What are you doing_?” 

The sardonic voice she knew so well prompted her to look up. She could only imagine how she looked--laying in the sand, disheveled with glazed eyes full of disbelief. Luke looked down at her, shaking his head. Leia was there too, smiling at her with one eyebrow raised.

Rey quickly righted herself, rising and brushing herself off. “Luke. Leia.” 

Luke looked at the indent in the sand where she had fallen and then back at her with a knowing smirk. “Rey. What’s going on?” 

She took a deep breath, shaking her head as she tried to make sense of things. “I didn’t see him. With either of you. But I _clearly_ saw him fade into the force.” She wasn’t sure if she was talking more to her former masters or to herself at this point. But when her former masters shared a look, she added, “He _did_ fade away into the force, right?” Luke looked back at her. “You don’t know? Or you can’t tell me?” 

Luke heaved a sigh, overly dramatic. “Some rules cannot be broken, some lines can’t be crossed. My nephew...he went through great lengths to get you to be where you are today.” He nodded at her and she knew what he meant -- _breathing and living_. “I mean, I still find it hard to believe he had it in him.” 

“Luke,” Leia chided. 

“What?” He shrugged. “The kid has a romantic bone in his body, after all. I’m just surprised.” 

Leia chuckled, shaking her head. “I remember you saying something similar about Han. Ben’s not so different from his father. When he finds something he wants, he goes after it.” 

Rey could feel her face turn crimson as Leia smiled knowingly at her. With Finn or even Poe, it wasn’t hard to hide how she felt about Ben. But this was _his mother_ , for force’s sake. 

Thankfully, Luke said, “That’s Ben for ya. Sees a girl who is his equal in every way, who is probably the first one to truly _see_ him. Of course he’d give his life for her. Travel between worlds, cross seas and space and _time_ itself to save her.”

All Rey could do was look down at the sand beneath her feet as she struggled to mask her inner turmoil at the thought of Ben truly giving his life -- and for someone like _her_. A Palpatine. His grandfather’s greatest enemy. 

“Luke, that’s quite enough.” Leia’s voice now held an edge.

“Okay, fine. Change of subject. How do you like my old home, Rey? Pretty cozy, right? Not too run down, plenty of sunshine and open air, no neighbors nearby to bother me--”

Rey smiled at her former masters, seeing the young kids that they used to be in their easy banter and teasing. But, as he spoke, something in her looked inward. A voice echoed in her mind -- 

“ _Between worlds_?” She cut Luke off. 

Luke stopped mid-speech. 

Rey took a step towards him. “You said _travel between worlds_ … where have I heard that before?” 

Luke shrugged. “You hear a lot of important things with those attentive ears of yours.” 

“Luke,” Leia gently prodded. 

As they started to fade away, Rey took another step toward them, hand outstretched. “ _Wait!_ I need--”

“Rey.” Luke smiled at her. “You already have everything you need.” 

And with that, her two former masters were gone. 

***

Rey raced back to the Falcon, BB-8 rolling in behind her up the ramp. 

The droid sent an alarmed trill her way. 

“Not now, BB-8!” Rey shouted as she practically dove underneath the table to grab her bag. 

Throwing her hand inside, she yanked out the Sacred Jedi texts, placing them on the table in front of her with a prominent slam. With shaking hands, she scurried through the pages, flipping them forward and back, running her fingers along the pages as her eyes did the same. 

“ _Between worlds...between worlds…”_ As she mumbled to herself, BB-8 rolled up beside her, tilting his head back to look at her and then at the texts she scrambled through. “Where..where _is it_? Where--” 

Suddenly, she stopped turning the pages. Her eyes panned to the left as she slowly flipped back a few pages. Her hand slapped down on the page while her head drew closer to the text. 

_World Between Worlds_

“ _World Between Worlds_ ,” Rey murmured, almost in a daze. “So, I hadn’t imagined it.” 

Situating herself further on the edge of her seat, Rey began to read. 

***

Rey rushed back to base, barely even allowing the ramp to touch the ground before she leapt off the Falcon and sprinted towards where she felt Finn’s presence, BB-8 right on her heels. The Resistance members were dispersing, packing their things in preparation of going out into a new galaxy to start the lives they have been fighting for this whole war. She flew past them, barely even nodding at them in acknowledgement as she finally caught sight of Finn and Poe.

Their eyes widened as she neared them, as if they weren’t expecting her to return so suddenly. After all, she _had_ left in such frustration and anger. 

“Rey--” 

“ _He’s alive!_ ” She cut Finn off.

Both men froze as they shot each other a look. Finn suddenly grabbed Rey’s arm as Poe frantically looked around to make sure no other Resistance member had overheard the revelation she all but _shouted_. 

“Over here.” Finn uttered in a hushed tone, leading the three of them underneath and in between x-wings until they were well-secluded from any neighboring ears and eyes. “Okay, go,” Finn ordered with crossed arms, Poe looking at Rey with sharp, attentive eyes over Finn’s shoulder.

Until just now, Rey hadn’t realized that she was panting from her mad sprint over here. Through quick breaths, she managed to get out, “I--I’m not _certain_. I don’t have hard evidence. But, he’s alive. I know he is.” 

Poe made a turning gesture with his hand, signaling for her to explain. 

Rey scurried through her satchel, pulling out the sacred text. “It’s _all_ here. Left by a former Jedi named Ezra.” She flipped through the pages until she found the one she’d marked. Squinting her eyes, she relayed a specific note to them. “ _Chain Worlds Theorem_ ,’ also known as the World Between Worlds. _‘It’s a mystical plane. A place that binds all space and time. Time travel can be made possible here--_ ’” She shot Poe and Finn a wide-eyed look. “Time travel!” The men just stared blankly at her, waiting for her to go on. Returning her eyes to the page, she continued. “‘ _It’s a realm that exists outside of ours,_ in between _space and time as we know it.’”_ Shutting the book, she leaned back and nodded at them. “A world between worlds.” 

Poe and Finn shot each other a look, before situating their eyes back on her. 

Sensing that they were seriously doubtful, she went on. “Luke told me -- _You already have everything you need_. He told me this _after_ he said that Ben would _travel between worlds_ to save me. Cross _time itself_. Those were his words!” 

“Did he tell you that’s exactly what _Ben did_?” Poe asked, his tone leaking with disbelief. 

“Well … not _exactly_ , but--” Rey hurried to continue when both men leaned back, their eyes looking heavenward. “But Luke wouldn’t just _say_ that. I _know_ him. Leia didn’t deny it either.”

A clue. Luke had left her an essential clue. If Ben _had died,_ she now knew that time travel _was_ possible through this mystical plane. Yet, she also distinctly remembered feeling like Ben had _not_ faded away into the Force. He’d certainly left her -- she had felt _that_ and certainly would never forget the gut-wrenching pain that she experienced in the wake of his absence. But, what she had _not_ felt was his presence, his _ghost_ anywhere remotely near his mother and uncle. 

She raised her chin high and without shame. “I _heard_ him. Just a whisper, but I know what I felt. I have a _feeling_. I have to follow it.”

Poe opened his mouth to protest, but Finn stopped him. “Rey, who’s to say you’re not chasing after a ghost. Perhaps you just heard his force ghost.”

She shook her head adamantly. “No. He’s _not_ a ghost. That much I _do_ know.”

Finn’s breath left him in a sharp exhale. Shaking his head, he said, “I mean, we can’t stop you, Rey. There’s no more war. No more First Order. You’re free to do as you please. You always have been.” He sighed. “Just--forgive me if I find all of this to be kind of unlikely. I mean, you _saw_ him fade away. Why would he have gone to this-- _World in between..other Worlds_ place?”

Poe leaned forward towards Finn. “I think you mean, _World Between Worlds.”_

Finn responded with a deadpanned expression. “Thanks, man.” 

Rey shook her head, shoulders rising with a shuddering inhalation. “That...I don’t know. I’m not sure. I just...I can’t let this go. I have to _try_.”

Poe ran his fingers through his hair in exasperation. “Just--if--if you do find... _Ben_ …” He still sounded incredibly doubtful, but like he was also trying to respect that _feeling_ she had. “...don’t come back here, Rey. Not with him. The Rebellion is disassembling. The last thing they need is to feel like they still have cause to stick together and fight--to extinguish the last member of the First Order.” 

Finn nodded. “It’s not easy. But...we trust you. If you do...bring him back, and if you feel like he truly isn’t a threat...we’ll believe you. Leave you be.” 

She could tell it wasn’t easy for them to say this, for them to release their absolute hatred for the former Supreme Leader. She also noted the fact that they weren’t offering to come with her. It might be out of their dislike for Ben. But it was perhaps also because they acknowledged this was _her_ mission. And the fact that they strived to understand prompted Rey to lurch forward, wrapping her arms around both of them in a tight embrace. 

“Thank you,” she whispered. 

And with that, she turned and sprinted back towards the Falcon, this time BB-8 remaining behind with his master. 

And as she took off in the Falcon, Rey felt her pulse leap at the small trace of what she had thought she would never feel again. _Hope_. 

Ben was out there. _Somewhere_. Be it in the past or in the mystical plane itself, he _was_ out there. And she was going to bring him back even if she had to scour the universe to do so. Even if she had to turn back the clock herself.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So there's chapter 2! Hope you enjoyed it! A few notes: The text/info about the World Between Worlds that Rey reads is not directly from the TROS Visual Dictionary. I took some info off of the internet, changed it up a little and incorporated it into the story. :)  
> Also, if you haven't checked out my Reylo playlist on Spotify yet, here's the link again: https://open.spotify.com/?_ga=2.40118180.708972604.1577285915-1212745969.1577146918
> 
> Refer back to the first chapter End Notes for a list of my favorites from the playlist and reasons why I added them. 
> 
> If you listen to ONE song, I recommend Talking to the Moon by Bruno Mars -- this song has been going on in my head as I write this fanfic series! That and When the Darkness Comes by Colbie Caillat :)
> 
> Anyways, hope you enjoyed it! Please leave some kudos if you liked the chapter. And comment your thoughts! I love hearing what you guys have to say :)
> 
> Thanks guys! And stay tuned for the next chapter!


	3. Chapter 3

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hey guys! 
> 
> I'm back with chapter 3! Sorry for the wait. It's been a little busier than usual. I tried to make this chapter a little longer than the others, but a busy schedule and a lack of time prevented me from writing as much as I wanted to. But I hope you still enjoy this chapter!

Hovering in space had its perks. For one, she had some peace and quiet to think and search through the text to find some answers. She needed a lead and when it came to finding Ben, she needed it fast. She knew nothing of the _World Between Worlds_ other than that it was a realm in-between the here and beyond. She didn’t know if time functioned in a way that was detrimental to a person’s health. She had no idea if one could even remain there for long periods of time. 

_Time_ \-- did time pass the same way there that it did here? Surely not, as according to Ezra’s notes, the mystical plane seemed to be completely set outside the structure of time as she knew it. Was Ben aging? Quickly? Slowly? Was he even _there_ or would she simply have to utilise the plane to bridge the gap to another time -- a time where Ben was still alive. But, then how would she get _that_ Ben to come with her? Would removing _that_ Ben from that timeframe change the course of events that occurred afterwards? 

“ _Ughh!!”_ Rey groaned, her head collapsing into her hands. She couldn’t deal with these questions, especially when she had no idea how this mystical plane worked. She likely would never fully understand it. “Focus, Rey. Just focus on the task at hand.” She couldn’t try to figure out the big picture as a whole. She needed to take it one step at a time, the first step being to _get_ to the _in between_ in the first place. 

She turned back towards the text. Thankfully, Ezra hadn’t left her at a complete loss. A few words jumped out at her. 

Force Portal 

“‘ _A tear within time and space to enter the mystical plane._ ’” Rey read the note aloud to herself. Her eyes lowered to the note scribbled underneath the term. 

_Force Portal_

~~Mustafar~~

It was crossed out, but she had no other lead to go off of. It was a risk, but one that she would have to take. Digging deep into her satchel, she pulled out a small contraption, no bigger than the palm of her hand. 

Luke’s Jedi star compass that he had left behind on Ahch-To--the same one she’d made a point to bring back with her when she’d left the lonely island. Something had told her it would be useful one day. And as she used it to navigate to Mustafar, she smiled to herself as Luke’s words echoed through her mind. _You already have everything you need_. 

“Thanks, Luke.” She murmured before setting off towards the unknown. 

***

Mustafar was a bleak world. 

Crimson skies and the sharp, pungent odor of smoke and decaying bodies surrounded her. It was no surprise, as she carefully made her way through a sea of the dead. Countless bodies laid lifeless around her as she slowly walked through them. Through the force, she could sense who had left them in such a manner in search for a _sith wayfinder_.

_Kylo Ren_. The name seemed to ominously float around her in an eerie whisper. 

Although it had only been a handful of weeks since she had been engaging with him in battle, it seemed as though years had passed since she’d looked into the eyes of Kylo. There had _always_ been a trace of Ben in them--it was what had drawn her to him in the first place, apart from their bond itself. Though, seeing Ben in the flesh, truly turned back to the light, had been a sight she hadn’t realized she’d longed for so much. Not until she had looked up at him from her place in his arms that night on Exegol. The night he--

Shaking her head as if to rid that thought of her mind, Rey continued to pass through the bodies, following the way Luke’s compass led. Narrowing her eyes, she struggled to see through the thick fog that was rapidly emerging and engulfing her. It passed over and around her like billows of smoke and a waving hand in front of her face did little to mollify it. She kept walking, albeit a bit slower than her pace before, looking back and forth between the compass and the blank wall of fog before her--

Rey let out a startled yelp as she nearly ran straight into a wall of stone. 

Neck craned back, she tried to see what was beyond the wall, but the fog obscured too much of her vision. Placing her hand on the stone, she cautiously followed along it, carefully counting her steps to the right. The wall was cold to the touch, with occasional sharp jagged edges that protruded out towards her. She continued along the wall, dragging her hand across the surface--

\--until her hand no longer touched stone. 

Gasping, Rey stumbled a few steps forward into the wall’s opening. And as her vision adjusted to the dark shadows around her, she realized that she was standing at the mouth of a cave.

She had found it. 

She reached for her saber and ignited it, the yellow glow giving her a decent amount of light to carry on through the cavern. She still proceeded with caution, her feet silent as they padded their way through. The only sound that echoed in her ears were the steady hum of her saber paired with her slow breathing. And somewhere nearby, water dripped. She could feel its slight spray on her skin. 

The air was chilled, but stale as well, as if this cave had not been occupied in centuries. But layered beneath the stale, crisp air was something rancid. As soon as Rey inhaled it, she scrunched up her nose and exhaled sharply as if she could eliminate the scent from her body. Yes, it had been a while since this place had been occupied by people. It was quite possible no one had ever walked through these dark tunnels. 

Yet, someone _had_ to have, since somewhere in this very cave, she knew there was a Force portal. She _hoped_. Having pocketed the Jedi compass, she resolved to hone in on the Force, to search for this portal by reaching out for it. At first, all she felt were the cold cavern walls that surrounded her. And then--

Almost immediately, she felt something -- something that buzzed and pulsated at her. A presence in the Force. Something _was_ here. 

She quickened her steps towards that presence she felt calling out to her, tightening her hold on her saber and then--

_Click_.

Rey stopped. She swore she had heard something. Her back stiffened as she strained to hear. But only the hum of her saber filled her ears. 

And then, another _click_ sounded, the faintest noise, yet it bellowed in Rey’s ears. She glanced to her right and left, without moving her head so much. 

Not a movement of a creature, and somewhere inside her, Rey noted that the dripping water noise she heard earlier had stopped. Suddenly, she was all too aware of the deathly still silence around her.

Rey had never feared for her safety. She had always put her life on the line for others--for Finn and the Resistance--not really caring if she was in danger. Yet now, she feared for her life. Not so much for the sake of her own well-being as it was for Ben’s. If she died now, she would lose her life, as well as any hope of getting him back. And his sacrifice would have been all for nothing. 

She reached slowly into her satchel, grabbing a hold of her blaster, while she slowly continued walking forwards. Her feet padded softly along the cavern floor when she saw it. Or rather, sensed it. 

Something walking a few paces behind her, matching her pace exactly. 

She didn’t dare look back at it, didn’t want to give away the fact that she was now very much aware of its existence. Through the Force she caught jumbled glimpses of shadows and darkness, stalking her. Rey clenched her jaw even as terror clawed itself up her throat. 

She was being _hunted_. 

A part of her screamed to _run_ , but Rey steeled herself against that instinct. She wouldn’t. That would be the worst thing to do in this situation. Feigning ignorance would have to do for now. 

As she continued easing forward, her ears and senses were pinned on every movement the thing behind her made. But as she walked cautiously and maintained that slow and gradual pace, whatever it was started to lose patience. If it weren’t for her connection to the Force, she would have missed it. The quickening of its footsteps as it started to close the distance between them. 

Rey matched its steps, her mouth going dry as she strained to hear its every move. 

_Hurry, Rey_. A gentle voice whispered. 

It was soft, so soft she almost didn’t hear it, yet its warmth prompted her to obey, her steps growing rapid as whatever thing that lurked behind her started to blow its cover.

_Faster, Rey_. The voice still gentle, yet holding a slight degree of urgency now.

Rey increased her pace, walking more briskly now. 

She had no idea where she was heading to, having stopped reaching out for the Force portal, more intent on just surviving this ordeal at the moment. Her saber’s light could only reach so far and from what she could see, there was no end in sight to this long, dismal tunnel.

_RUN, REY!_

That voice… _Ben_? 

But Rey couldn’t stop to dwell on that thought, not as she broke out into a full out sprint, pumping her arms as she turned a corner. The thing behind her, knowing she was well-aware of its presence, launched into pursuit, its feet _pounding_ after her. Her feet skid along the damp stone ground as she turned another corner, her knee hitting the cold surface briefly before she was right back up on her feet, running headlong for--for _what_ \-- _where_ \--

And then she saw it. A tiny alcove, barely big enough for her to fit, but far enough into the cavern’s walls that it could possibly provide some coverage for her--a place to hide in the meantime. 

The sharp _ziiip_ sound of her saber turning off resonated off the cave’s walls as she dove for the alcove. Shrouding herself in the deep shadows, she braced herself deeper into her hiding place, her eyes pinned on the corner she had just turned, the corner those pounding footsteps grew louder and _louder_ towards until--

Rey had to stop herself from audibly gasping in horror. 

It stood on two legs, towering easily twenty feet above her. Mottled, gray, discolored skin that oozed. Sharp claws that spread like knives on the ends of its four arms. Mandibles that _clicked_ viciously as it slowly scanned the area, searching for her. 

A _darkghast_. She had read about them. It was a formidable and fearsome creature native to the planet Mustafar. Almost primitive in its appearance. Drool dripped from its wide maw and she dimly noted that it was the dripping noise she had heard earlier -- what she had thought was _water_. And the smell that rushed over her -- that _rancid_ smell -- was emanating from him.

As it scanned the area, sniffing the air, Rey closed her eyes as she realized she would have to face this monster. _Alone_. Fear struck her hard and she had to take a deep breath to calm herself.

Images of Ben flashed before her, his gentle smile that lit his face up for the first time in _years_ , his kind eyes as he looked at her one last time. She didn’t know if it was actually his voice she had heard in her head, or if it had been her imagination, her will to live urging her to survive. But it was a strong reminder of what she was here to do.

Opening her eyes, she took hold of her saber and ignited it, stepping out of the alcove, immediately drawing the _darkghast’s_ gaze.

Its lips curled back as it took a menacing step towards her, mandibles clicking almost in outrage, as if angered by the gall she had to face it.

“Yeah, I have to face you.” Her voice carried loud and clear across the distance between them. “But I’ve faced much worse.”

It roared at her, its massive legs bracing before it charged her. 

Rey resisted the urge to run and held off for a little longer, before at the last minute, dodging his massive clawed hands and tumbling in between his legs, swiping one of his legs with her saber in the process. It roared as she rolled on the ground before landing upright on her feet. She span quickly, positioning her saber before her, while at the same time, tightening her hold on her blaster. 

It roared in pain as it looked at the large slash she had made on his left thigh. Not a fatal wound, but it did give her an advantage. 

As it charged her again, she raised her blaster fast enough to shoot him right in one of his eyes. He reared back, one of his four hands reaching up to swipe at his face as it roared once more. She used the opportunity to charge him, throwing her saber back, aiming for his other leg--

But he recovered quicker than she’d anticipated, his head snapping towards her as glared at her with one good eye. 

Rey’s eyes widened as four of his arms came rushing at her. She managed to dodge two, using the Force to stop the third, but she wasn’t quick enough to outmaneuver the fourth. 

Giant claws swiped viciously at her, catching her on the side as it threw her against the cavern wall. The back of her head smacked the stone hard before she slid to the ground.

Groaning in pain, her head lolled from side to side as she struggled to maintain consciousness. The creature roared, pounding its chest, its cry causing several small, winged creatures to reveal themselves from their hiding spots within the walls, scattering in fear. And as the _darkghast_ refocused its attention on her, Rey found, that as her head pounded and as she applied pressure to the wound on her side, she had little energy to give. 

As if sensing her depleting strength, the _darkghast_ lips curled in a way that almost looked like a hideous grin. It drew closer and closer and then--

_Rey_. That gentle voice. So soft, so much warmth. 

Rey closed her eyes. _Ben_. She called his name back, tossed it out into the Force recklessly, hoping that it reached him -- even if it was all just in her head.

_Rise, Rey_. 

She squeezed her eyes shut, face scrunching up in pain. 

_Rey. Rise_. 

Even in a moment like this, he was there for her. Even if it was all in her head, he was still there for her. 

Pain laced through her body as she struggled to rise. She grimaced and screamed in pain as she slowly rose to her two feet. 

The _darkghast_ slowed its approach, its mandibles clicking rhythmically as it watched her stand upright. 

Still wobbling unsteadily, blood seeping between her fingers from where she applied pressure to her wound on her side, she glared at the creature. She raised her saber high, challenging it.

It responded with a resounding roar before advancing on her. But quicker than it could move on its one good leg, Rey _threw_ her saber in the air and with the Force, launched it with a quick thrust of her arm straight for its head. 

It was over before she could even exhale. The saber had speared through its remaining good eye, straight clean through its brain. It fell to its knees before collapsing before her with a resounding thud that echoed through the cave. 

Rey finally released the breath she had been holding, slowly sliding along the wall and collapsing onto the ground. The wound on her side pulsed with agonizing pain. And the dull, persistent ache on the back of her head grew more prominent with each throb. 

As she lay on the cold, wet stone of the cave, she could only think of one thing. 

_Ben_. _Ben. Ben_. 

And as her vision blurred and went dark along the edges, that same, gentle voice answered back. _Rey_. 

And then her world faded into darkness.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Well there's chapter 3! Please let me know in the comments what you think! I love hearing from you guys!  
> And feel free to share this story with others and leave some kudos if you'd like :) 
> 
> Also, here's the link to my reylo playlist on Spotify again: https://open.spotify.com/playlist/3b8YCFo10rwc9obmYbPvta
> 
> I've added a few songs:
> 
> 1\. The One that Got Away - cover by Alice Kristiansen - imo, better than the original and so heartbreaking if you imagine it from Rey's perspective.  
> 2\. What If - Coldplay  
> 3\. All of the Stars by Ed Sheeran -- Originally from The Fault in our Stars, but I find that these lyrics just fit so well with Ben and Rey's story.   
> 4\. Doesn't Mean Goodbye by Jon McLaughlin  
> 5\. Runnin' Home to You by Grant Gustin  
> 6\. Neutron Star Collision by Radnor - Honestly, the original by Muse is better, but their's wasn't on Spotify sooo haha.   
> 7\. Only One by NF -- From Ben's perspective. If you don't know NF, you should definitely check out his music. Really solid.  
> 8\. Falling by Harry Styles  
> 9 Flicker by Niall Horan - "When you feel your love's been taken, when you know there's something missing. in the dark, we're barely holding on." Need I say more?  
> 10\. Hurts like Hell by Fleurie. "I loved and I loved and I lost you. And it hurts like hell." Rey's perspective.  
> 11\. Wherever You Are by Kodaline -- favorite band ever just released this song and maybe it's just the reylo in me, but all I can hear is reylo hahaha  
> 12\. I Will Always Return by Bryan Adams - yes, it's from the movie about horses haha, but does it not just feel like something Ben would say to Rey? Also, I LOVE Bryan Adam's voice. There's nothing like it.  
> 13\. To Build a Home by Cinematic Orchestra -- really beautiful and emotional. 
> 
> I included a few instrumental songs as well. One is from Rogue One, the scene where Cassian and Jyn die together. I love them too and the fact that their love story is also tragic, I mean COME ON. Another is literally from Planet of the Apes but HEAR ME OUT OKAY -- don't watch the scene where this music comes out. Just listen to the music and picture it playing in the background of the scene where Rey and Ben are finally reunited. It's just so beautiful.
> 
> Anyways, please let me know what you think about this chapter AND my playlist if you give it a listen! I'm writing this to help me cope, but also for my fellow reylos out there and would love to hear from you guys to gauge how many people I'm writing for :) 
> 
> Thanks for reading! Stay tuned for the next chapter :)


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